Bus body for motor-propelled vehicles



Jan. 15, 1924.

F. KOHLBERGER BUS BODY FOR MOTOR LPROPELLE'D VEHICLES Filed Nov. 8, 1921 INVENTOR A ITORNEVS Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK KOHLBEEGEB, F N'EW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOB TO INTERNATIONAL manua- COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

BUS BODY FOR KOTOR-PROPELLED VEHICLES.

Application filed November 5, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK KoHLsERonR, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Queens of the city of New ork, a in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bus Bodies for Motor-Propelled Vehicles, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof.

With the recent development of jitney busses for transporting passengers new considerations of body design conducive to the safety and comfort of the passengers have forced themselves upon the attention of engineers, It has been the general practice in body building heretofore to form the floor of the body within a selfcontained framing which might be mounted as a unitary structure on suitable sills carried with the frame of the vehicle. Ordinarily the floor planks are extended longitudinally of the vehicle requiring the selection of planks of uniform thickness, form and 26 quality and, consequently, of greater expense than shorter lengths. Further, the placing of the body on transverse sills resting on the vehicle frame throws the center of gravity high and results in undue side sway and tipping. This is naturally a source of discomfort and, indeed, a danger to the pets sengers within the body, since the movements of the vehicle frame are tremendously multiplied before being impressed upon the passengers. Further, passenger vehicles must be so constructed as to permit the entrance and egress of passengers with the greatest possible expedition and convenience. One of the most important factors is in the number and character of the steps. Where, as heretofore, the bodies have been set up on sills their height has necessitated the use of two or more steps with resulting inconvenience, danger and delay in operation.

The object of the. present invention is to overcome the objections above indicated by providing a floor for a bus body or the like which may be built of short lengths of planking extending transversely of the vehicle frame and resting directly thereon without the interpositionof sills. This cou- Bcrill No. 518,638.

struction results in the lowering of the body by several inches so as to permit assengers to step directly into or out of the us. Further, it lowers the center of gravity of the vehicle and the center of oscillation so as' to improve the riding qualities by reducing the side sway and tipping and to eliminate the element of danger to be found in busses where the bodies a set high. The improved construction as the further advantage that the expense of the body is materially reduced by permitting the use of short lengths of planks in place of the longer selected planks necessary for lon tudinal planking and by permitting t e ready fabrication of a flooring without necessitating the construction of a special framing of suitable dimensions prior to the assembling therein of the floor planks. A further object of'the invention is to provide a floor for a vehicle body in which may be cheaply and conveniently formed a suitablr well for clearance of the differential housmg,

These and other objects will appear hereinafter in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention in the drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a bus body having the floor constructed in accordance with the present invention, a part of the side being broken away in the interest of clearness.

Figure 2 is a view in plan of a fragment of tfhe improved floorand taken on a larger sea e.

Figure 3 is a detail view in section of a,

Q Lesopca or the application of the inventionthereto. The thus" of the vehicle includes longiframe members, such a, usually formed channels. On these chan nels are moun ed directly transverse floor planks i; which are preferably interengaged, as by tongue and groove joints indicated at b. The planks are preferably secured to lon' itudinal floor beams 2: whi h may ex ten alon the underside of the floor just outside but independent of. the frame members a. This forms a unitary floor. The invention is not to be limited to the interengageinent ol' the proximate planks, but it is evident that the tongue and groove pro-vi n \vill i-"iire a smooth. tight. floor and a: ist in maintainingl the planks in alinemcnt and in holding them against relative displacement. The planks have laid over them longitudinally e2-:tendin; metal straps c which preferably lie directly over the side frame members a, respectively. Through each in these straps 0 pass bolt 0,, usually two in number for each plank i the bolts extruding dowrnvardly at. opposite sides of the channel a and interlocked and retained in place by a strap e and nuts threaded on the lower ends of the bolts, respectively. Each pair of bolts d for each plank I; will serve to secure the plank fixedly to the side channel a lying directly beneath .the longitudinal strap 0. Since the bolts (1 for the different plan are placed along the channel (1 the necessary degree of flexibility to compensate for the frame distortion is afforded and yet the straps a hold the planks in place with suflicient rigidity, The structure described is one which permits the. ready fabrication of the floor of a. b dy with short and inexpensive lengths to. planking and without the construction of a special framing of suitable form and dimensions for the particular vehicle to which it is applied. It. makes it unnecessary to select. long length of planks of uniform thickness and form as is the case where these planks are placed longitudinally of the vehicle. Further, the mounting of the planks directly on the vehicle frame eliminates the interposition of sills for the floor framing and thereby lowers the entire body and its center of gravity. This lowering which, in ordinary constructions, amounts perhaps toeight inches, is of great importance in passenger bosses since it eliminates at least one ste and. as in the illustrated embodiment, enaiilesthe passengers to enter or leave the body by the use of a single step f. The saving of time in the operation of bosses and the greater safety will appear at once. Further, by the lowerin of. the center of gravity of the vehicle,

.an addit-io'hal degree of safety is secured sincethev'ehicki is less liable. to tip over.

But of even greater practical importance is the advantage resulting from the better ridiug qualities atlordedv The center of oscillatmn of the body lowered so that move rooms which cause side sway are not multithe floor to accommodate the difl'erential housing. This is of particular importance in some types of vehicles and. at all events, where found, it is desirable to provide it with the least expense and uithout weakening; the body. As shown in Figure 2, the planks b are cut out, as 1) directly over the differential housing g. the relation of the planks being such as not materially to weaken the Hour structure and yet permit the cutting out of the well as required. It is evident that were the planking placed longitudinally a special framing would have to be built for the ivcll. No facing or reinforcing of the perimeter of the opening Z) is necessary. )ver the well may he placed a suitable covering, such as it, of pressed metal, the configuration of which will preferably be such as to minimize the danger of tripping. As shown, a dome-shape will accomplish this end. On the domeshaped covering 11. may be secured a vertical hand rail 1' which may extend to the root ll: of the body and be secured thereto so to remain fixedly in position and assist; in the support of the roof. The entire organization of parts as described is at. once compact. strong and inexpensive and in keeping, with the requirementsct the most advanced practise in bus bodies.

As shown particularly in Figures 46 it is proposed to connect some or all of the individual planks b with the side 1c of the body by means of pressed steel corner pieces l through, which pass retaining bolts 1 into the planking Z and the side 7;. This pressed steel corner piece is formed as an angle having end webs l to give additional strength. If desired, the end webs Z may be stamped out, as at Z, to provide a supporting seat for pipes m of a heating system or other units to be supported. These pressed steel corner pieces afford an inexpensive and rigid connecting means between the floor and the sides and make it unncccssary to mortise or otherwise interlock these parts.

Changes in detail of design will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art but are to be considered within the scope of the invention provided they fall within the range of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In body constructions for self-propelled motor vehicles, cross planks supported di IOU and a suitable hand rail secured to the domeshaped cover and extending upwardly through the body and secured at its upper 10 end to the roof to afford support thereto.

This specification signed this 3rd day of November 1921.

FRANK KOHLBERGER 

